Pastry making device



June 28, 1966 o. SCHAFER 3,

PASTRY MAKING DEVICE Filed Nov. 13, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet l June 28, 1966 1.. o. SCHAFER 3,257,973

PASTRY MAKING DEVICE Filed Nov. 15, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4; F IG. 4 F IG. 5 (WM 1|! flZ 20 2714 X Z/L.

United States Patent 3,257,973 PASTRY MAKING DEVICE Leonhard Otto Sehafer, 219 Miriam Ave. (Bronx), New York, N.Y. Filed Nov. 13, 1963, Ser. No. 323,455 2 Claims. (Cl. 107-9) This invention relates to a device for folding flat miniature pastry units such as is known as Danish pastry.

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel four fold mechanical device for consecutive folding of the four corners of rectangular squares of pastry dough.

It is a further object to provide a device wherein a group or bank of individual folding units are combined to form an overall unitary device.

These and other objects of this invention will become apparent upon reading the following descriptive disclosure of an illustrative embodiment of this invention'shown in the accompanying drawings and in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of the combination device showing a bank of eight folding units,

FIG. 2 is an end view of the device,

FIG. 3 is a top plan viewv of the device showing all folding fingers of each unit in open position,

FIG. 4 is a section view taken on line 44 of FIG. 3, and

FIG. 5 is a section view taken on line 55 of FIG. 3.

According to this invention a rectangular base plate is provided with a plurality of suitably spaced apertures 11 (FIG. 4) to receive a corresponding plurality of suitably long bolts 12 therein.

Separator collars 13 of suitable and equal length are disposed over each bolt 12 and a perforated rectangular top plate 14 is disposed upon the collars 13 and to receive bolts 12 in the top plate apertures (FIGS. 4 and 5).

This invention is operable where only one folding unit is provided. However, it is more economical to operate a combined device made up of several individual units.

In' the illustration herein eight individual units are shown in linear arrangement but clearly the plurality of combined individual units may range from two to more than eight.

Where eight units are employed as in the illustrative embodiments herein, the top plate 14 and the bottom plate 10 are long rectangular plates having suitably spaced-apart apertures 11 along both their longitudinal edges. Thus bolts 12 and their collars 13 constitute a pair of parallel rows adjacent a respective longitudinal edge.

An angular support bracket 15 is secured to base plate 10 by a pair of bolts 16, thereby permitting the device to be secured by bolts 17 to the side of a bench or suitable work table.

At eachof the ends of the suitably spaced-apart top plate 14 and bottom plate 10 a guide bolt 18 may be disposed. This bolt 18 is intermediate the two parallel rows of bolts 12. The guide bolts are each secured into a respective suitably threaded cavity in the top plate 14.

A moveable longitudinal plate 19 of suitable width is disposed between the two spaced-apart rows of bolts 12 (FIGS. 2 and 5), said plate 19 being provided with suitable apertures suitably located adjacent its respective ends to receive guide posts 18. 1

Thus the plate 19 is slideable up and down in a reciprocal manner on the guide posts 18 and between the pair of longitudinal rows of bolts 12 and their collars 13.

As shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 a plurality of individual folding units or cells are provided, each cell having four folding fingers 20 and a set of corresponding co- 3,257,973 Patented June 28, 1966 "ice Each of the cam pillars 21A, 21B and 21C is provided I with an identical cam surface substantially in the form of a V-configuration having a depending slope 22 and an upright slope 23.

The cam pillars 21 are disposed in the corners of each cell. The horizontal elevationof the cam of each of the four pillars in a cell is different and so predetermined as to effectuate a pre-selected sequence of operation. Each pillar 21 is provided with a flat top surface 21X to permit all the pointed ends of the fingers to lie in a substantially flat plane in the normal position (FIG. 3).

The pastry folding unit itself comprises an integral sheet metal rectangular cup or container 30 having a bottom wall 31 and upright walls 32. The tops of the upright walls are each provided with a pair of spacedapart axle holding supports 33 and an axle 34 is disposed therein.

The foldingfingers 20 are triangular, each having a pair of suitably spaced-apart rolled-over axle supports disposed on axle 34. A coil spring 36 is disposed on each'axle 34 having one of its ends bearing on an upright wall 32 and the other on a folding finger 20 so as to continuously urge said finger in outward open position (FIG, 3).

The bottom wall 31 of each'cup 30 is provided with a pair of apertures and a pair of rods 40 each having a threaded cavity at its top is secured to the cup 30 by means of a suitable flat head screw 41.

The bottom of each rod 40 is threaded and is disposed in a co-acting threaded aperture in the moveable plate 19 (FIGS. 4 and 5). Thus downward motion of plate 19 pulls the cup 30 downwardly, and upward motion pushes the cup upwardly..

Each of the pillars 21 is provided with a suitable threaded cavity in its bottom wall and a threaded bolt 12 is threaded into a respective cavity, thereby pulling the pillar 21 firmly to top plate 14.

Preferably a top border plate 42 is secured to the pillars of each side as by screws 43. Also end border plates 44 may be provided at each end and they also are secured to pillars 21 by means of suitable screws.

Turning now to FIG. 1, moveable plate 19 is provided at each end with tongue portions 19X to engage the bifurcated ends 48 of a U-shaped yoke 49. The yoke 49 is secured to an eccentric on a motor to obtain an up and down reciprocal motion.

As shown in 'FIG. 3, the folding units or cells are separated one from the other by spacer plates 50 which terminate at the top rim of the border plates 42.

The fingers 20 are each provided with asmoothly curved quad-rant cam surface 20X adjacent its hinged edge tion (FIG. 3).

Now the pastry is ready to be folded so as to enclose the filling.

As the cups 30 are pulled down by plate 19 and rods 40 the apex 22X of the cam surface 22 on pillar 21A causes the finger cam surface 20X sliding thereagainst to turn over about 90 degrees, turning over the pastry resting upon this finger onto the filling (FIG. 4).

Next, the finger 20 disposed against pillar 21B and its lower cam surface 22 is actuated by cam surface 20X thereof riding over the cam surfaces 22 and 23 of said pillar 21B.

The movement over cam surface 22 causes the finger to fold over about 90 degrees whereas passage beyond cam surface 23 permits the finger to assume a vertical position sliding against the vertical wall of the pillar therebelow.

Thus each finger 20 is turned 90 degrees by a cam surface 22 and its apex 22X and then is urged by the coil spring 36 back against the pillar after passage onto the lower cam surface 23.

The operation of a third finger 20 on cam pillar 21C (FIG. 5) is the same as described for pillars 21A and 21B, turning over a pastry corner in diagonal relationship to those already turned over by cam pillars 21A and 2113.

The cam surface 22 of pillar 21D, being the lowermost and thus below the cam surface 22 of cam pillar 21C need not be provided with a cam surface 23 inasmuch as the folding operation is complete upon actuation of a finger 20 by the cam surface 22 of cam pillar 21D.

All the fingers 20 in all the units or cells operate simultaneously. Accordingly eight pastry pieces are obtained in corner folded position with their corner apices touching in a pyramidal manner enclosing the filling, upon the return of the moveable bar 19 into its topmost posi- In this FIG. 3 position the fingers 20 are turned over about 180 degrees as they are beyond the topmost edge 21X of the pillars and the triangular point of each finger is disposed in a corner of the cell formed by the border plates.

This invention has been described by means of an embodiment but it is of a broader scope.

I claim:

1. A pastry folding machine for folding the four corners of a pastry sheet into a pyramidal configuration comprising a rectangular container having upright sides each having a suitably rolled over edge;- a unitary triangular folding finger for each container side, each finger having rolled over axle supports aligned with said rolled over edges; axles disposed through said rolled over edges of said upright sides and said supports of the finger for each of the four container sides; coil springs disposed on said axles, and biased against said upright container sides and said fingers for urging said fingers continuously away from the container; a rectangular frame disposed beneath said container in spaced relationship; a suitable upright cam pillar disposed in each corner of said frame, said container being vertically movable between said cam pillars, a plurality of said cam pillars having substantially V-shaped cams located to successively engage adjacent folding fingers during descent of said container and effect a predetermined folding sequence of corners of the pastry sheet supported on the container and another of said cam pillars having a surface engaging another folding finger subsequently for completing the folding of the pastry sheet and reciprocal rod means mounted in said frame and secured to said container to effect reciprocal motion of said container with its folding fingers between said cam pillars whereby sequential folding of corners of the pastry sheet is effected on downward movement of said reciprocal means.

2. The pastry folding machine of claim 1 wherein a plurality of folding machines are disposed in linear relationship, the reciprocal rod means thereof being secured to a common reciprocal plate, and means for reciprocating said plate whereby said plurality of folding machines are operated simultaneously.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 628,449 7/1899 Carr l0754 2,574,548 11/1951 Deutsch 1079 2,969,025 1/1961 Schafer 1078 3,115,104 12/1963 Enoch et al. 10754 WALTER A. SCHEEL, Primary Examiner.

JOSEPH SHEA, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A PASTRY FOLDING MACHINE FOR FOLDING THE FOUR CONERS OF A PASTRY SHEET INTO A PYRAMIDAL CONFIGURATION COMPRISING A RECTANGULAR CONTAINER HAVING UPRIGHT SIDES EACH HAVING A SUITABLY ROLLED OVER EDGE; A UNITARY TRIANGULAR FOLDING FINGER FOR EACH CONTAINER SIDE, EACH FINGER HAVING ROLLED OVER AXLE SUPPORTS ALIGNED WITH SAID ROLLED OVER EDGES; AXLES DISPOSED THROUGH SAID ROLLED OVER EDGES OF SAID UPRIGHT SIDES AND SAID SUPPORTS OF THE FINGER FOR EACH OF THE FOUR CONTAINER SIDES; COIL SPRINGS DISPOSED ON SAID AXLES, AND BIASED AGAINST SAID UPRIGHT CONTAINER SIDES AND SAID FINGERS FOR URGING SAID FINGERS CONTINUOUSLY AWAY FROM THE CONTAINER; A RECTANGULAR FRAME DISPOSED BENEATH SAID CONTAINER IN SPACED RELATIONSHIP; A SUITABLE UPRIGHT CAM PILLAR DISPOSED IN EACH CORNER OF SAID FRAME, SAID CONTAINER BEING VERTICALLY MOVABLE BETWEEN SAID CAM 